Mohamed Bazoum, the candidate of Niger's ruling Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS-TARAYYA), won the second round of the presidential election on Sunday, according to the provisional results announced on Tuesday evening.

The results were announced in the capital Niamey by the president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), Issaka Souna.

Bazoum won the election with 2,504,459 votes, or 55.75 percent of the total votes, against 1,985,736 votes, or 44.25 percent of the total, to his challenger Mahamane Ousmane of the Democratic and Republican Renewal, said Souna.

The number of voters who cast their ballots is estimated at 4,487,195, out of more than 7.4 million registered voters, a turnout of 62.91 percent, said Souna.

The provisional results will be sent to the constitutional court for final validation.

(With input from agencies)